Behind Impenetrable Walls
by Spectral Artist
Summary: For years we had been kept apart by the walls of Albion, and in my selfish dreams to reunite the country, I ended up losing the one person I was fighting so hard for. With everything set in stone, all I can think, the only thing I know continuously resonates in my mind. "It should've been me." Rated T for non-explicit character death.


Author's Note: I do not own Princess Principal in any way, shape, or form. To the best of my knowledge, the series is owned by Studio 3Hz, but I might have to re-check that again later.

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Hugging the pillow was never going to be the same. My grey hair lay as flat and still on it as the rest of my body. As still as the dead in their graves, except for the tears that moved more than I possibly could. Even with my training as a spy, there was little that could've prepared me for this moment, but it wasn't much of a moment anymore. For years I always had more than I ever knew what to do with. Now was no exception.

Darkness, there was plenty of darkness. I couldn't bear to see the moon after the countless times my friend would watch it rise with me. The sunset, sunrise, moonlight, and twilight. They were all painful reminders of what we used to be and can be no more.

Silence also came in droves. Thoughts came to me clearer without distraction, and all that I wanted to think about right now was her. Why did she have to go through with her foolish ideas? She knew she was going to get executed by trying to assume the crown. They told her over and over that the princess needed to die, and she was fifth in line anyway so they're selfish minds saw no authority in her. Everything was pointless, the plan was set, there was no altering it.

Dreams. Between us, we had an infinite amount of those. Running away, taking down the walls, changing the kingdom, re-awakening the defectors, re-creating London and the wretched system. The list goes on for years. Years I wish that I could get back. Even if it meant giving up everything else, my only wish now was to have her sitting next to me once more. We were the miracle twins, the two that would take on the world on both sides of the wall. Now we're split apart beyond repair, and no dream was going to fix that. Nothing would ever fix that.

Her image flashed into mind once more, bringing the tears back after having just stopped them. "They want the princess dead. Don't forget me!" I repeated the words as if they were my own. They should've been my own. But they never would be my own.

I couldn't stand to look at myself, it would remind me too much of her. Why did we have to look so alike? Why did she have to die for me and this country? "Why did you leave me alone in this world?! Why did you leave me behind, Ange?!"

Crying out into the darkness. I didn't expect a response. Yet Beatrice, as faithful as always, came running into the room at the sounds of my voice. Once she saw the tears dripping down my cheeks she walked over and sat on the bed next to me, pulling me into an embrace. The thought was warm but her body was cold. There was a slight scent of oil on her which showed the works of her late night self-maintenance. I must have pulled her away from her inspection and I felt worse for doing so. Nevertheless, she pulled me close, whispering in my ear to soothe me.

"Charlotte, Charlotte, it'll be alright," came out from her with radio static backing it up. Quickly her hand jumped up to cover her mouth in embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry, l-let me fix that..." She ran out of the room for a moment, coming back with a screwdriver, and sitting next to me again before messing with her voice module. "One, two, three, four..." Testing the different voices proved to be more irritating than the static she was trying to fix. Eventually she managed to find the correct frequency, returning herself to the Beatrice I knew and loved.

"Charlotte, I know how upset you must be after today, I really do. I miss Ange too, but you need to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be rough, especially with the outcries from the commonwealth. None of us expected the execution to happen so-"

"It should've been me!" Burst out of me, "I should've been the one to die! Ange never should've put herself in danger!"

The hug became tighter, enough to make me feel crushed between her arms. Just a few moments after, however, her arms let go and raised themselves up to my face, cupping my cheeks. "There was nothing you could've done." She pulled the grey hair off my head, the customized duplicate of Ange's, and placed it on the bed. My blonde hair took its place, flowing down my back and making the weight on my head feel lopsided. "It all happened so fast. You had no idea that bad person was going to shoot her on the spot..."

"But it was me to begin with... I would've been the one to die... That's what-"

"Then who would be the one laying here crying?! Ange would be sitting where you are now! Torn apart because she couldn't do anything to help you! I know Ange, she doesn't want you to cry. So at least try to sleep..."

She began to get off the bed but I needed her to stay. Grabbing her wrist, I nearly pulled her back down next to me. "I'm not as strong as Ange! I never was... I can't stop thinking about her!"

Beatrice sighed lightly, her voice wavering on the edge of tears as well. With her hands on mine, she brought me down from sitting to laying on the bed, pulling the blanket over both of us. "Here, I'll stay with you tonight while you sleep." The back of her fingers caressed my face lightly, wiping some of the tears away that were soon replaced by the constant stream.

All I could do was nod lightly, closing my eyes slowly with her next to me. "You're always the one protecting me, aren't you Beatrice?..."

If she gave me a response I didn't hear it. I simply wrapped my arms around her, eyes shut, and tried to calm down.

"Charlotte!" A voice in the back of my head called out to me. "Put this on! There's no time to explain!"

"A-Ange?..." The embrace I held with Beatrice tightened without thought.

"Quick, they're going to be here any moment!"

She reached behind me for only a moment, bringing her hands back and revealing a pair of handcuffs in them. Then she took a wig copy of her hair and placed it on my head, tucking my golden locks under it. Within moments we had switched identities, me, a top spy for the commonwealth, and her, handcuffed in my clothes and kneeling on the floor. The true princess of Albion sat there fearful only for me and my safety.

"Run Charlotte! Run!" She demanded me, but I couldn't leave. Nothing allowed me to abandon my childhood friend, nothing except... "Beatrice! Get her out of here!"

As Beatrice ran across the room she grabbed the C-Ball that Ange dropped onto the floor for her. Suddenly she grabbed onto me, turned on the cavorite, and flew us out a window. We landed on the outside ledge and looked back at the scene below us. Zelda had entered, gun in hand and lips moving, but from here no words could be heard. The only sounds we could make out were six decisive gunshots from below, each followed by a stream of blood that streaked the floor from where Ange's body lay.

I began to scream in shock until Beatrice shoved a hand in front my mouth, stifling every sound that tried to escape. No matter how much I needed to, I couldn't look away from the scene. The years trying to find her again, to be with her being separated behind the walls, wasted beneath me on the floor. The fantasy world of a country united with barriers lost its luster, dirtied by the blood of the one person I was fighting for. To be reunited under golden summers. To no longer hide our friendship from the world. To be free from fear once more. My whole reason for risking everything had just ended. All I wanted to do was run down and cradle Ange in my arms, but that wasn't an option as Beatrice pulled on my wrist and flew us off the ledge.

My eyes forced open to see the sunlit bedroom around me. The air was filled with the smell of pastries and coffee and the sound of commotion coming from the room over. Those voices. Everyone I've come to know and love the past year. Dorothy, Chise, Beatrice, they're all in the other room waiting for me.

"Ange... If you can hear me... Thank you, for everything you've done... If only I had listened and ran away with you... We could've happy outside of the country together. Now together doesn't exist does it?"

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 **Ending Note:** This was just a quick fiction idea that I had after watching through Princess Principal. I never thought the series would end the way it did, but throughout watching it I imagined a "Daughter of Evil" ending to it all. To anyone who recognizes that Vocaloid series. Since it didn't happen, I decided to satisfy my idea and turn it into a story since it fits rather well with the series. I know it could've been fleshed out better and with more detail, but I like the feeling of just sinking into the emotion on this one instead of focusing on plot lines or reasons for why everything happened the way it did. Either way, thanks for reading.


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